Get Creative with Rakuten Viber Lenses: How to Leverage Them for Unique Marketing Strategies

Creativity and innovation meet in Rakuten Viber Lenses. Are you looking for a fresh approach to engage consumers? This blog post will guide you through the possibilities of Rakuten Viber Lenses, showing how you can implement them in your marketing campaigns for a unique and memorable experience.  

Let’s begin with some facts:

• Since their launch in 2021 (in collaboration with Snap), Rakuten Viber Lenses have gained a massive following, especially among Gen Z, being used more than   1 billion times.
• 57% of customers indicate they're more inclined to buy products from businesses offering engaging AR interactions.
• Approximately 64% feel more loyal to brands incorporating AR into their shopping journey.
• By the end of 2024, there expected to be 1.7 billion AR device users.

Looking at these compelling numbers, coupled with the growing popularity of Rakuten Viber and its superapp features, it is clear that businesses must prioritize integrating AR technology, such as Rakuten Viber Lenses, into their marketing strategies. Businesses just can't afford to ignore them. 

So let's explore what they are and what they can do for you.

Rakuten Viber Lenses — General Features: Enhance User Experience with AR

First, what is AR? It’s an advanced technology that allows overlaying digital elements onto the real world, creating an immersive and interactive experience.

In particular, Rakuten Viber Lenses enable adding 2D/3D elements, animation, and sound effects to GIFs, videos, and images. One can insert face masks, AR surroundings, full cover masks, pop-up objects, create transformations like in a funfair mirror, etc. It’s fun for consumers and profitable for brands that tap into the technology’s potential.

You can create Lenses that reflect your brand's identity and resonate with your target audience.

The possibilities are countless.

For instance, you can collaborate with local musicians and create Lenses that feature their songs and visual effects associated with your brand. Or create a series of Rakuten Viber Lenses that celebrate various holidays and seasonal events throughout the year. These Lenses can feature festive elements, animations, and sound effects that people can apply to their photos and videos, encouraging them to share their celebrations with friends and family. This can help create a sense of community and brand loyalty, as users associate your brand with positive memories and experiences.

Supporting Social Causes and Charities With Rakuten Viber Lenses

You can show your brand values by creating awareness around major issues with Rakuten Viber Lenses. Here are some initiatives that you can support:

• Environmental conservation; fighting climate change, deforestation, and ocean pollution. Educate the public about environmental issues and promote eco-friendly initiatives with creative Lenses.
• Mental health awareness. Encourage people to share their experiences, and work with local and global mental health organizations to create common campaigns.
• Hunger relief. Highlight the global issue of hunger and malnutrition and raise awareness of your own hunger relief efforts.
• Animal welfare. Use engaging and informative animations about animal protection and rescue efforts. You can also encourage consumers to donate or volunteer for organizations such as Humane Society International.
• Education and literacy. Develop and promote projects that provide educational resources and opportunities for children.
• Many other causes will welcome your support and build your reputation.

It’s important to choose the initiatives that reflect your brand beliefs and what you are standing for. With such campaigns, you can foster a humane, conscious, and environmentally aware image for your company. Furthermore, this promotes corporate social responsibility and attracts customers who are interested in businesses that give back to society. Engaging in such philanthropic activities can enhance your brand's reputation and appeal to a broader, more conscious audience, ultimately leading to increased customer loyalty and long-term growth. 

Context-based Lenses

Creating Rakuten Viber Lenses relevant to a local context or a specific occasion can be a game-changer for businesses looking to promote regional branches, events, or exclusive deals.

Tailor Rakuten Viber Lenses to specific markets, considering traditions, pop culture, and the context of a targeted country. These unique Lenses can help you attract local customers, generate buzz, and create a sense of belonging among your audience. Here are some possible examples: 

• Rakuten Viber Lenses featuring regional delicacies and popular local dishes building a brand image of a restaurant chain.
• A Lens that incorporates team logos, mascots, and colors of local sports teams, promoting an upcoming sports event and driving ticket sales or fan engagement.
• Rakuten Viber Lenses showcasing iconic landmarks and historical sites, celebrating a significant anniversary or event.

Use Lenses to promote time-limited special deals. This will help you motivate customers to act quickly to take advantage of the offer. You can run such campaigns by linking Rakuten Viber Lenses to your brand’s Chatbot on the app, growing your audience in the process:

• For example, a brand could make a Lens that celebrates its birthday. You can offer a time-sensitive discount or freebie via a linked Chatbot, encouraging customers to purchase something within the ‘birthday’ month.

Games and Contests: Engage Users

Probably the most interactive implementation, using Rakuten Viber Lenses to offer fun games and contests (such as this one). You can promote your brand in a creative and engaging way. See what you can do:

• Virtual scavenger hunt: Create a series of Rakuten Viber Lenses with hidden clues that one needs to find to progress through the game.
• Trivia quiz: Design an interactive Rakuten Viber Lens that quizzes people on your company's history or products
• Virtual dress-up: If you are a fashion retail company, design a Rakuten Viber Lens that allows one to try on clothing and accessories, encouraging people to share their pictures. Link this Lens to your brand’s Chatbot on Rakuten Viber and let customers check and buy products from your store.
• Photo caption contest: Encourage consumers to submit creative captions for images enhanced by your Rakuten Viber Lenses, offering something nice for the most entertaining or heartfelt entries.
• Sports skill challenge: Create a Rakuten Viber Lens that simulates a particular sport or physical activity, challenging people to demonstrate their skills in a virtual environment and letting them share their results with friends.

The examples mentioned above only touch upon a small portion of the use cases for Rakuten Viber Lenses. When interacting with your business becomes enjoyable for consumers, they will be more inclined to appreciate it and make purchases.

Don't overlook the potential of Rakuten Viber Lenses in enhancing your marketing strategy. Use them to create memorable experiences and integrate Rakuten Viber into your marketing efforts to witness a steady increase in brand engagement.